Lighting help

[jenerally]

So I have this light
http://www.amazon.com/Dimmable-Aquarium-Lighting-Actinic-Spectrum/dp/B00CH3XG86
Sitting directly in the middle on my 60 gallon
There is only a glass cover that separates the water from the light. I'm not allowed to hang it from the ceiling so this is my only option
I want to use it desperately and want to get another one eventually so I would have a light on both sides
How bad would this be? I.e risk of overheating, light distribution, etc
And is there any other way I could position it to be more effective? Thanks

 

[lmforbis]

Snake used a shelf bracket to hang a similar fixture from. If you look in his 29 gallon back to basics build thread he has a picture. I have also seen people use galvanized pipe bent at 90 degrees and attached to the back of the stand so it extends above and over the tank.

 

[pegasus]

If hanging the lamps isn't an option using the above suggestions, then you'll definitely need to provide air spacing between the lamps and the glass cover. It can be accomplished several ways. Thin metal strips can be installed for legs using the lamp's cover screws as attachment points. The metal should be strong enough so it doesn't flex or fold from the weight of the lamps. Even something as simple as wood strips an inch or so thick, under each end of the lamp, would help reduce heat buildup. If I were going to use these lamps, I'd probably build a hood for the tank to mount the lamps in, with the lamps suspended between the top of the tank and the top of the canopy. An open back on the canopy is sufficient for air circulation. I have canopies on both of my tanks, and both have 6-bulb T5 HO lamps. Heat isn't an issue with these lamps, so LED's will do fine with this setup.

 

[lmforbis]

If you want to build a hood let me know and I will post pics of how I mounted similar ones in the hood I built. It was very effective and simple.

 

[jenerally]

Snake used a shelf bracket to hang a similar fixture from. If you look in his 29 gallon back to basics build thread he has a picture. I have also seen people use galvanized pipe bent at 90 degrees and attached to the back of the stand so it extends above and over the tank.

i think ill try something similar to this.. or some type of rod.

 

[jenerally]

I have a more specific questions...
if i get another light fixture (i realized its not the same as in the photo.. but its 120w with 35 act and 30 white lights) will i have enough light for some corals?
also does the lack of a full spectrum limit me from anything?

 

[pegasus]

These Chinese boxes are hit-or-miss when it comes to providing proper light spectrum for corals. If you're lucky, the spectrum will be in range. Quality control isn't as strict on these units, and something as minor as voltage being off a few millivolts can throw the wavelength of the emitters off by quite a bit. Full spectrum lighting stands a better chance of hitting the proper spectrum for photosynthesis in corals, as there are multiple wavelengths available. That said, even "full spectrum" wavelengths in these cheap lamps is questionable, at best. There's a good reason there's such a price difference between bargain LED and top-of-the-line LED, and it comes down to the components used and build quality. Some people have luck with these cheap LED's, and others end up putting them on a closet shelf... or tossing them in the trash. It's kind of like playing roulette...